Dental mirror attachment



Oct. 15, 1957 BARBER 2,809,430

DENTAL MIRROR ATTACHMENT Filed July 15, 1955 mllllllml fluuulumuh. nuq a INVENTOR.

P: E LEWIN F. BARBER ATTORNEY 5 United States Patent DENTAL MIRROR ATTACHMENT Lewin F. Barber, Lincoln Park, Mich.

Application July 15, 1955, Serial No. 522,300

2 (Ilaims. (Cl. 32-69) My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in a dental mirror attachment.

in carrying on some of the operations of dentistry, particularly in those operations where grinding is carried on in a cavity of a tooth to prepare the same for the reception of a filling or inlay, it is common to direct a stream of water against the tooth for cooling purposes. This water frequently passes on to the reflecting surface of the dentists mirror thus obscuring the image.

In the use of the dentists mirror the reflecting surface will frequently become fogged or cloudy resulting from the effect of the heat of the patients mouth.

Some attempts have been made to eliminate this diificulty by directing a blast of air on the reflecting surface of the mirror while it is in use. Most of such constructions with which I am familiar are built into the dentists mirror so that it is necessary for the dentist, if he desires to avail himself of the benefits of a directed blast of air, to purchase a dental mirror especially constructed and formed in which the air directing conduit could not easily be removed.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a dental mirror attachment so constructed that a fluid directing conduit may be easily and quickly attached to a dental mirror in operative relation thereto and easily and quickly removed therefrom.

It is another object of the invention to provide a dental mirror having a shank formed in separate parts which may be easily separated or attached together and which will serve to hold on the shank fluid directing conduit.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

It is recognized that various modifications and changes may be made in the details of the structure illustrated without departing from the invention, and it is intended that the present disclosure shall be considered to be but the preferred embodiment.

F orming a part of this application are drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the dental mirror showing the invention applied;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the dental mirror showing the invention applied;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing some of the parts in separate relation;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 3.

In the drawings I have indicated a dental mirror 7 havinga reflecting surface 8 and provided with a shank comprising a forward portion 9 and a rearward portion 10. The forward portion is provided with a threaded terminal portion 11 which threads into the rear portion it This rear portion terminates in a reduced extension 2 to provide a shoulder 13 at the end thereof.

A conduit 14 is provided which is attached by a fitting 15 to a hose or delivery pipe 16. This conduit 14 terminates in a beveled end as at 17 so that this beveled terminal portion of the pipe 14 lies in the plane of the reflecting surface 8 and slightly spaced therefrom.

A clip 18 embraces the pipe 14 and is provided with a downwardly projecting eyelet 19. This eyelet 19 embraces the portion 12 of the shank and when the threaded portion 11 is threaded into the rear portion 10 the clip engages the shoulder 13 and also engages the shoulder 20 on the forward portion 9 so that this clip is clamped between these shoulders. When so clamped the conduit or pipe is held in proper position for directing a blast of air unto the reflecting surface. Due to having the end of the pipe 1 beveled this blast of air issues in a fanlike formation so as to spread over the entire area of the reflecting surface.

When air under pressure is directed to the hose or pipe 16, the blast of air will retain the reflecting surface 8 free from any accumulation of moisture so that when the dentist is using the mirror, clear visibility is obtained at all times.

When it is not desired to use the mirror with the conduits attached thereto, it is but necessary to detach the forward shank portion 9 from the rearward shank portion 10 and remove the clip 18 from the reduced portion 12, whereupon the shank portions may again be reunited and the dentist may use the mirror in the ordinary manner.

What I claim is:

1. A dental mirror of the class described, comprising: a reflecting body; a shank on said body comprising a forward portion and a rearward portion; a threaded terminal portion on said forward portion threadable into the forward end of said rearward portion; a shoulder on the opposite faces of said portions; an air conducting conduit; an attaching clip on said conduit; an eyelet on said clip embracing the shank and lying between said opposite shoulders, the threading of said forward portion of said shank unto said rearward portion effecting a clamping of said eyelet by said shoulders.

2. A dental mirror of the class described, comprising: a reflecting body; a shank on sand body comprising a forward portion and a rearward portion; a threaded terminal portion on said forward portion threaded into the forward end of said rearward portion; a shoulder on the opposite faces of said portions; an air conducting conduit; an attaching clip secured on said conduit; and a portion of said clip being mounted on the shank and engaged between said opposite shoulders. 

